If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Elk in the Landscape

13th November 2013, 12:56 AM

Who ever said that only wide-angle lenses are good for landscapes? Don't believe them . . . all of these were taken with the 50-200 SWD on an E-M5.

1) First up for critique . . . poor focus, or creative choice? I didn't intend for the sparring males to be blurred, so I made the most of the fog and my unintentional error. It's also a heavy crop because they far across the field. Does it work?

2) I was going for an environmental portrait, with one Elk in the corner and the early sunlight streaming through fog over the mountain. A cold night left the grass covered with frost, which turned to fog as the sun came up. Do you like the effect?

3) A different part of the big field, different Elk, another environmental portrait. I don't usually go for blown highlights in the sky or background, so I was trying something a bit different. Also, can you tell where I erased an object in the background?

4) This is an HDR, processed to enhance the foliage colors, darken the sky, and brighten the fog. Is it natural and/or appealing?

The first definitely works for me, some may argue the centering but I think its OK. If I were to make any changes it would perhaps be in adding a barely visible shadow ridge line in the far blue background, but that is really constructing a whole different image...

In the second shot I find the top is overly bright and lacks detail in the hills, so I've taken the liberty of making some changes to your image and posting here (hope you don't mind)...

I used Local Tone Mapping in PaintShop Pro fairly heavily as well as some curves adjustment, a clarity layer and mix of sharpening and softness... is it to your taste as well?

The third image is good, I can't see where any corrections have been made and in the final image I wonder about the sliver of foreground, can't seem to resolve if it adds or detracts from the image...

Comment

Thank you for the comments, David and Stef. The other set has some nice portraits, but I also prefer these because there is more creativity involved.

Stef, I like your version of #2. I was going for more of a mountains-shrouded-in-fog look, so I intentionally left the brightness of the sunlight streaming through the mist and the low contrast of the background. The question I was considering was whether to brighten the foreground and add contrast to it. I decided to leave it more in shadow because it felt more natural. You interpretation is very nice as well.

On #3, there was a car nearly smack in the middle of the frame, in the fog, but clearly visible next to the background trees. I see your point about #4. I included some foreground for a sense of depth, but it may be a distraction from the rest of the image.

Comment

We process personal data about users of our site, through the use of cookies and other technologies, to deliver our services, personalise advertising, and to analyse site activity. We may share certain information about our users with our advertising and analytics partners. For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.

By clicking "I AGREE" below, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our personal data processing and cookie practices as described therein. You also acknowledge that this forum may be hosted outside your country and you consent to the collection, storage, and processing of your data in the country where this forum is hosted.